Sermon for St. Michael and All Angels

Psalm 91:11-12

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
¹² On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.

 

We believe in angels. Unseen to us for the most part, nevertheless we believe in them. As we say in the Nicene Creed, “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.” God made all that we see. God also made much that we cannot see, including the host of heaven, armies of angels.

Now the skeptics will think it’s silly to believe in what is unseen, invisible and cannot be proven scientifically. But it’s not good to be a skeptic all the time. It’s not silly to trust what someone tells you, to take someone at their word. Imagine if a mother were to tell her child, “I love you.” What an impudent child it would be who would answer, “I’ll believe it when I see it. Prove it to me, and then I’ll believe that you love me.” No! that’s not how children of a loving mother think. A child hears his mother say, “I love you,” and he trusts his mom, he takes her at her word and goes about the day with the certainty that he is loved and cared for.

How much more so can you take the Lord at His word! He who loved you, chose you, died for you, lives for you and is even now thinking about you and making room for you in the heavenly kingdom. You trust Him that He won’t lie. In fact, our Lord has shown that all His promises come true, when He rose from the dead on the first day of the week.

Don’t ever let anyone make you feel silly for believing in angels or anything else that God says, because your Lord and God is trustworthy, reliable, and it’s important to hear what He says and take it as true.

So the Lord, in His word tells us about angels:

·        They serve God around His throne in heaven.

·        They praise the Lord for Holiness and His goodness toward creation.

·        They guard and protect believers here on earth, especially children.

·        There are many angels, in the order of tens of thousands, at least.

·        They are various kinds of angels, and they hold various positions, Michael for example is said to be archangel, that is a ruler of angels.

All these are pleasant notions to think about. But the Lord also gives warning at this point, that we should also hear. Apart from the angels, there are also evil forces at work in the unseen realms. The Devil and his demons are working:

·        To tempt you to sin

·        To sow doubts in your hearts

·        To lead people to despair

But the word of God defeats each of these attacks.

·        Against temptations, The word of God promises forgiveness and righteousness

·        Against doubts, the word of God is the means the Holy Spirit uses to build and maintain faith

·        Against all despair, the word of God brings hope and peace.

In Luke chapter 10, Jesus had sent out 72 men, two by two, to go ahead to the towns and villages where Jesus would be going next. These 72 went preaching about the Kingdom of God and healing people. The spiritual turmoil in those years Jesus’ bodily presence on earth, was so great that the manifestations of the work of demons became unusually noticeable, visible. These 72, by preaching the name of Jesus, were able to cast the demons out. They return to Jesus all excited by they had seen and experienced.

Then Jesus tells them something interesting, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” The 72 preachers participated in action on earth that had heavenly results. Their preaching and their healing and their casting out of demons had good results on earth, and alongside the work of angels in heaven, there was spiritual victory in the invisible realms.

So for us even now. When the word of God is preached, Satan falls, his armies of demons are disarmed. When you hear and believe the Gospel of Jesus, it is as though you are putting on armor to defend against the demonic attacks aimed at you – temptations, doubt, despair.

·        So, have you any temptations? Recognize that it’s not just flesh and blood, not just some physical phenomenon, it is spiritual, and remember you have spiritual help.

·        Have you any doubts? That’s coming from Satan’s teams, but you have spiritual help. Hear the Lord’s word again and believe it. And the angels are on your side, and rejoice in heaven every time you repent and believe.

·        Are the troubles of this earthly life enough to make you feel like giving up, in despair? The Lord invites you to trust that there is more than what you see and experience in this world. There are angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, with you to laud and magnify the Lord and God.

That’s one of the most comforting doctrines that the Bible has to tell us about angels. They are worshipping in heaven, while we are worshipping here on earth. Angels and those believers who have gone to heaven before us are sharing with us now in heavenly praise and worship. It’s why we sing so much in our worship, because we are told that’s what the worship in heaven is like, they’re singing things like “Holy, holy, holy.” That’s why are worship service is designed to be reverent and holy, different than our ordinary daily activities. We are getting in practice for our eternity with all the saints and angels.

Amen. 

Sermon for Trinity 16

Grace, mercy and peace are yours from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

From Luke 7 “Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.”

After I get finished here with 1000 words or so, you’re going to join with me and all the people of God and confess the Christian faith out loud and say “[We] look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”

We say this regularly, joyfully, confidently.

We say this in agreement with God and in disagreement with those who don’t believe the Christian faith or the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

I know it goes against our comfort level to disagree with anyone, but sometimes we must. God calls us to do so. We are to confess His truth and when there are other ideas presented as truth we are to say, “No. That’s wrong. Here’s how it is.”

There have always been those who by their words and attitudes, operate with the assumption that, “This is all there is. When we die, there’s nothing. Better enjoy it now, because eternity is not for us.”

Jesus gives a real lesson in the Gospel reading for today. He says to a dead man, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”

When He Who is Lord of life and the only hope at death, says “Arise”, the dead rise.

Jesus declares: “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40).

That little show at Nain is for us to know that in Jesus Christ there is life. Life now! Life after death for those who are with Him.

You’ve heard this before, sure. But you kinda have to imagine what it sounded like to the crowd that day. There were two parts to that crowd: Those who are following along with Jesus, to listen to Him, to see a miracle, perhaps. And then the crowd that was part of the funeral procession for this young dead man.

With this great crowd on all sides, Jesus motions to those pall bearers to stop. That must have seemed unusual. The He says to the grieving mother, “Stop crying.” Don’t say that to someone who’s crushed by the pain of death. Don’t tell them to stop crying. . . . Unless you can fix their problem. And surprisingly, Jesus does. He addresses the corpse – speaks directly to the dead body. Weird. He says, “Arise”. And the dead man sits up and begins to speak.

And that crowd on all sides, responded. And the response was so cool. “16Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” They confessed the Christian faith. God had indeed visited His people. He came to His people that day and brought them good gifts. Gifts of life and joy and a happy surprise from the word and power of His Son Jesus Christ.

We will have something similar on the last day, similar but much better. Revelation 21, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And we will have our moment to confess the truth of the Christian faith. Better to say, we will have eternity to confess that truth.

When life’s brief course on earth is run

    And I this world am leaving,

Grant me to say, “Your will be done,”

    Your faithful Word believing.

        My dearest Friend,        I now commend

My soul into Your keeping;

        From sin and hell,        And death as well,

By You the vict’ry reaping.

 

So with this confidence, look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. We as a congregation are going to buck the trend of the world, which is more and more skipping out on funerals, having instead celebrations of life in their backyards or at a beer hall as if God has nothing to with life or death or anything beyond.

 Let your family know that you want a funeral in God’s house where those of us who are left after you go will hear the life giving word of Christ, will confess the Christian faith in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting, and we will pray and worship Him who has brought us out of death to life.

 Amen.

 

Sermon for Trinity 15

 

Grace, Mercy and Peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,

Matthew 6:24 [Jesus said:] “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

 

The Lord has said, “You shall have no other gods.” This is the first of 10 Commandments.

There are many people, perhaps some among you today, who say, “Ah, that’s the easiest commandment. I’m not even tempted to believe in or worship any other god than the one true God.”

But this is the First Commandment, and it is the first to be broken. All other sins against any of the other commandments come from sins against the first commandment.

There are three ways in which you could break the First Commandment.

1.      When you don’t fear God above all things.

2.      When you don’t love God above all things.

3.      When you don’t trust God above all things.

It’s important to understand the meaning of the First Commandment: We should fear love and trust in God above all things.

First of all, Trust. A person must think of this, must study themselves, “Why do I make the choices I do? What am I trying to get? What am I hoping for? Am I trying to find security in earthly things? Am I trying to form my identity based on material things? What will it take for me to have joy, happiness, or peace of mind?” All this is to say, “What does my heart completely trust in?” Martin Luther says in the Large Catechism: “To have a god is to have something in which the heart entirely trusts.”

Secondly, Examine yourself as to what do I love most? Be especially careful of this in the good times in your life. When you are experiencing success; able to get all the pleasures and all the recreation that money can buy; when you are enjoying the respect of others which success brings, then carefully ask, “What od I love the most?” The love of money, success, and earthly pleasure competes against the love of God. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. . . . he will hate the one and love the other.”

Now some might say, “Fortunately for me, I don’t have a problem with the love of money. I ain’t got any! What’s there to love?” Well then, here’s the third way you need to examine yourself: What do you fear more than God?”

It’s very common, isn’t it? That when money is lacking, the worry kicks in and doubts and depression, as if there is no God.

This all requires personal examination of the heart and attitude. It is also for the Christian Church to examine herself as to how we are doing together as a body. Galatians 5: 6 says: “One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches.”

The Christian Church ought to be asking why is it that we are having trouble providing for the livelihood of the preachers and teachers of the word? Do members love their money and possessions so much that they want to horde it all and will not be generous? Do members trust money for everything, such that there is no need or care for God and for God’s house? Do members fear money so much that they fret saying, “What if we don’t have enough? We can’t share or it will run out?

This last question Jesus addresses in this Gospel reading, Matthew 6:

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

The Lily can teach us how to grow, how to live and how to die.

This world we live in is a mess. From our perspective as believers, we recognize that the mess is caused by sin. When people don’t fear God above all things, and don’t love God above all things and don’t trust in God above all things, the result is a mess. You ought to expect nothing but death and hell.

Then God decides, “I’m not going to give up on this world that I have created.” He chooses to save it, to wash away sin, to destroy death. Jesus Christ our Lord is the fix for sin and the death of death. In this messy world of sin and death our only hope is in Jesus. Our destiny is tied to His. Our existence is dependent on Him. If he dies, we’re lost. And then He died.

But again, God didn’t give up, but raised Him from the dead.

Your sins – even the worst sin of loving stuff more than God – are forgiven; your punishment is abolished, because God said so.

And there’s a little sign that God is sure of this, and meant what He said: Lillies blooming in the side ditches. Amidst grass that fades and turns brown, fit only for fire, lilies bloom. Lillies teach us not to worry. The lily’s days are short and few. Bu it are not despondent, because of what it doesn’t have. It doesn’t let its few short days be filled with anxiety about its short life and all the problems of the world. Its beauty is not marred by anxiety for the fire or mower that is coming. No. the Lily just blooms and so glorifies God. Lilies serve God by being a beautiful thing in their day.

Learn from the lilies how to live. You have enough to glorify God.

Learn from the lilies how to die. These symbolic decorations of Easter point us to Christ who rose from the dead and who brings us into His eternal life.

Gracious God, You send great blessings

    New each morning all our days.

For Your mercies never ending,

    For Your love we offer praise. Refrain

Lord, we pray that we, Your people

    Who Your gifts unnumbered claim,

Through the sharing of Your blessings

    May bring glory to Your name.

 

Sermon on the Lord's Prayer

(This sermon is available to listen to at:  https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ronnie-koch/episodes/Sermon-on-the-Lords-Prayer-e2mngtv

Grace, mercy and peace. Be to you from God, our Father from our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today I want you to meditate on the Lord's Prayer. Whenever you pray at your regular times in the day, or in a moment of special need, you can pray a prayer that you've learned or you can pray using your own words. But this prayer, the Our Father, Is the perfect prayer. And a pattern for all your other prayers. Because it's been taught to you by Jesus himself. So learning it meditating on it. It teaches you how to pray. It also teaches you how to believe how to live and even how to die.

We'll go through each of the petitions and meditate on the words. I'm using much from Luther's, large, catechism the section on the Lord's Prayer that's available from me, just to ask me sometime. For a copy. So I invite you in these next few moments to meditate on the words of the Lord's Prayer concentrate on the Lord's Prayer, so that you learn to use it In your days ahead. First. It starts by saying, “Our Father who art in heaven”. God in heaven, wants us to know him and to be in a relationship with him. So he says, “Pray.” Well certainly, this is a great treasure -- this invitation from Heaven above to pray.

So we can pray. That's God's command. But more significantly, we can pray because we need to. We are stressed. Distress is of all sorts, on all sides. The distress that are to concern us most you will find is set out in front of us in the Lord's Prayer.

As we pray, we can daily list our distress, our problems to our Father in Heaven, with full confidence that he cares about us, his children. You know, he loves to listen to us. And he's at work to help us in our distress. To save us from harm and danger, and provide for all our needs.

The first petition that we pray is “Hallowed be thy name”. God's holy name was placed on us, given us when we were baptized -- baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. With this name, God introduced himself to us, that we would know him personally.

How's it going to be holy among us? Well, in two ways: when we believe rightly everything his name stands for and secondly when we behave rightly, according to the love and goodness that his name stands for. You can picture how God's name would be dirtied by untruths told about him.  When people would believe those untruths false doctrines. His name wouldn't remain holy and If God's children don't speak and act in love and goodness. Well, their poor Behavior, reflects poorly on God. There's a great need for this prayer. All around us people misrepresent God. When others hear that, and when they see their ungodly actions, then they mistrust God.

Then we pray, “Thy kingdom, come”. God's kingdom is in heaven and it is in the hearts of those who believe in him. It's not something we can see with our eyes or feel in our hands. So it's likely, we think a little of it and rarely What we more often think about, is all the stuff before our eyes and in our hands. We're more likely to pray for the stuff that's right in front of us.

Our Lord's Prayer has us slowed down a bit and pray for what we can't see. The things of God's kingdom. Our greatest need is God's kingdom. Our neighbor for whom we pray, their greatest need also is God's kingdom.

We can ask for is the God's kingdom come to us and to others. After we pray Our Father's Kingdom. We pray that his will be done. “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”. As in any Earthly Kingdom, it's not enough just to found the kingdom. Establish it, it must be kept up defended against enemies, so we pray the good Lords will be done in order that his kingdom come and His name be hallowed. Now take heed for what you're praying for here. When you say “Father, your will be done”, there's surely going to be a conflict in our life, if our will is different than God's will. You're asking for trouble when you pray this, because the way of the world you're living in is different than God's will.

And you shouldn't be surprised by the attacks of the devil who goes to great lengths to hinder, God's will But take comfort as you pray. The will and purpose of the devil and the world and even our own sinful nature will and must fail. No matter how proud or secure, or powerful they seem to be.

Now, we are ready to pray for the needs of our life and our in our entire life. Summing them up in the word bread. “Give us this day, our daily bread.” It is good to have one cover term to include all the needs of this present bodily life.

Bread is a cover term for many different things. One day, it’ll be in our mind a lack of money. And the next day it may be that it's your health is all you can think about. Another day, you may be shaking your head about the weather or wondering what will become of our government and economy.

Jesus welcomes us to bring our distresses in all those things into one word “bread”. And lay it at the feet of Our Father, who is in control of all things. By using this covered term bread. We're asking God's help for all the concerns on our mind at the moment and also the great needs that we have that we don't even know yet, but God knows. And God's working on it.

Trusting that our Father in Heaven loves us and is kind to his children, whom his Son, Jesus saved. We can happily ask for his help and provision for all our needs.

Then we pray. “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”. Notice how this petition starts with the word “and”. It's connected to our daily bread we just prayed for. Just as much as we need food and other physical provisions every day, even more, we daily need to pray for forgiveness. Because we so frequently trespass, that is we step beyond the line that the Lord has laid out for us. We need to pray daily for forgiveness.

Martin Luther. When he comes to this point in in the Large Catechism. Says that when a person prays this fifth petition, he or she “must put down their feathers”.

You can just picture, can't you the proud peacock or other such bird that puffs up their feathers trying to appear bigger and prettier Than they are and, and prouder than they should be. This is the time in our prayers, to be honest, with ourselves and honest to God and to humbly Put down all our self-defenses and say, “Dear Father in Heaven, forgive us”.

Now, when Jesus on the cross said “It is finished”, so, all his work of saving the world was done. Forgiveness there is accomplished. Condemnation for sin, is removed. That is ours when we believe it. We're praying here for what Christ has already got for us. And the father loves to give us for Jesus’ sake.

And Jesus teaches us to pray “as we forgive those who trespass against us”. Because we love the Forgiveness that Jesus has for us. We love giving it to others -- forgiving those who trespass against us. Just as happiness inside you produces laughter. So the joy of your forgiveness, produces your patience, and long-suffering toward others, forgiving them for Jesus sake.

“And lead us not into temptation.” Life has its ups and downs, doesn't it? So, even though, at this moment we're doing fine, have a clean conscience, a Godly appearance, we must pray this petition that God wouldn't allow us to fall again. The devil, though damned, still attacks with temptations severe, and multiple Temptations.

Don't think little about that, as though those Temptations are trifle, like a temptation to overindulge in some rich food, or temptation to take an extra 5 minutes of pleasure, instead of 5 minutes at work. No, the devil's Temptations are directed at the core of who you are. And what you believe.

He tempts you to doubt God, to doubt that God loves you, forgives you and accepts you. You know, some have fallen for this Temptation and in shame, they stop coming to church. They stopped praying for help and mercy. When you feel Temptations, especially a temptation to doubt, pray.  Say, “Dear Father. You've asked me to pray. Don't let me fall for Temptation. When I try myself, I make matters worse. Lead me not into temptation but . . .”

“But deliver us from evil.” This final petition seems to be a summary of all the previous petitions. The Father preserves us from evil by keeping His name holy among us, with the true Doctrine and healthy morals, and by bringing His Kingdom to us with His Gospel and his love in the church, and by establishing his will in our lives.

When Jesus Christ saved us, he brought about a change of rulers for us. before we were under the domain of death. Now, he is the Lord of life. The devil's domain is sin and hopelessness. The Lord's kingdom is righteousness and hope. he has rescued us from evil. So we can call him our King, and our Lord. And to all this, we add our bold and sure. “Amen”.

 

Time Change!

Please note.

Our Sunday services now start at 8:30 am, until further notice.

Thanks

Sermon for Easter 2

Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” John 30:29. is our text.

 

That's us. That's we who believe. We are blessed. 

 

We long for the beatific vision of Christ, to see him face to face to touch his hands to be in his presence face to face. We confess that. We will say in the Creed that we look forward to the resurrection of the body and the life of the world to come, but Jesus says we're blessed when we don't yet see and yet believe.

 

It’s as if Jesus says to us “Just wait.” You'll see me soon enough. In the meantime, believe. Believe that I am risen from the dead. Believe what I say when I say you who are in me have that resurrection and that life -- life eternal. Believe what I say. And for this meantime I will give you the things to help you believe.

Jesus says “I want you to believe. Don't regret that you weren't one of the witnesses of my resurrection, that you weren't there to see me on that first Easter. There were over 500 people who saw me alive risen from the dead. And they told about it. Don't believe the lies that some have put forward.”

Some of the enemies of Christ’s gospel made up this story, that the disciples stole the body from the tomb and then went around spreading the story that Jesus rose from the dead. It's impossible to get 500 people to keep a lie going for 2000 years. Couldn’t be. The Apostles and Mary Magdalene and many others told what they saw and touched and it’s reliable, well attested and documented.

There have been other rumors and lies spread about the resurrection of Jesus. You might have heard them repeated even to this day. One theory told most notably by the false prophet Mohammed, is that Jesus didn’t really die on the cross, he just passed out and later, in the tomb, came to his senses, and walked out of the tomb and went around meeting up with His friends. That would have been physically and biologically impossible given the kind of beating he took at the hands of the Roman soldiers; the flogging they gave Jesus was so severe that he couldn’t stand up under the weight of the cross; and then there was the bitter, excruciating crucifixion. If any man could have survived that, it would be impossible to believe He could then walk through locked doors and hold a blessed conversation with His disciples. Really it’s easier to simply believe what God has said. “He was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for our justification.” John wrote in our Epistle reading today: If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. (1 John 5:9).

The Lord gives you the testimony, so hear it and believe.

The Lord gave old Thomas His body, so Thomas could see it, touch it and believe. But then He says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

The Lord gives you things, so you can believe what you can’t see. That’s how He wants you to believe. Get what He gives, and then believe in what is unseen.

Here’s an example of that, Jesus breathed on His disciples and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). The Holy Spirit is unseen. Jesus breath, was noticeable. When He breathed on them, they could see it and feel it. But then He told them, believe in what is unseen, the Holy Spirit. Believe that He is with you, at work in you, and doing His work on you, namely, “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld” (John 20:23).

Now you have the Church and the minister of the church so you can believe in what is unseen. You hear the Gospel preached in the Church, from the mouth of the pastor and you believe in what is unseen, in heaven your sins are forgiven.

The Lord gives you His word, written back then and proclaimed today. With the Holy Spirit that word has power for you to believe even what is unseen.

Here’s how it goes: God’s word reveals things unseen. Faith is believing what is unseen, what’s beyond our senses and experiences, even what’s beyond our ability to imagine. It’s understandable that rebellious thinkers would try to find ways to explain that Jesus was not truly risen. Such a thing never happens. People die and that’s it. God’s word says otherwise. Jesus who was dead, now lives, and speaks and blesses and saves.

So likewise the sacrament, under the visible bread and wine, the Lord gives you the unseen body and blood. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”.

We continue to do what the Lord does. Like Jesus breathing to show the unseen Spirit. By our actions in the Divine Service, we are showing the unseen that we believe. By our standing out of respect in the presence of our unseen Savior, we are acting as if we believe in what is unseen.

That’s what you do on Sunday morning -- so also in the other days of the week. Think, talk, and act as if you believe in what is unseen going on around you.

·         Bow your head in prayer, because you believe that the unseen Lord is there listening to you.

·         Go about the tasks you have to do, working diligently, because you believe that the service you are doing is for the visible world, but also and more importantly for the unseen Lord who gives you your work to do.

·         Look at the people you are with this way, even the most difficult and annoying person you have to deal with. Keep in mind what is unseen about them. Although it doesn’t look like it, remember that this person is God’s creation, valued by God, so precious to God that He gave His Son up for this person. Then when you talk to that person, interact with that person, do so with the respect and honor bestowed on him or her from our unseen Lord.

·         Live all your days not in the worry and suffering of the world of your sight and experience, but with the peace and joy of what you believe.

How blest are they who have not seen
And yet whose faith has constant been,
For they eternal life shall win.
    Alleluia! Amen.

 

 

 

Sermon for Holy Thursday

Luke 22:19 & 20

 ¹⁹ And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

Twice that night when He was betrayed, Jesus said this little prepositional phrase, “for you.” “This is my body, which is given for you.” And This cup (my blood) is poured out for you”.

These words, “for you” require all hearts to believe. These words are an invitation to believe. They are a challenge to believe. They are a call to prepare your hearts for what Jesus has to give “for you”, by repenting of sins, all wrong doing, wrong saying, wrong thinking, wrong believing, repent of those and then call on Jesus, asking Him to give what He has promised, His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.

Tomorrow we observe and remember Good Friday, our Lord’s death on the cross. Tonight we observe and remember His sacrament where the fruits of the cross are given for you for the forgiveness sins. The cross is where Jesus died for the whole world of sinners. The Good of Good Friday, what Jesus did on the cross, took care of all the sins of all those who have ever lived or who will ever live, until the end of time. More about that tomorrow. But there’s something incomprehensible about that, isn’t it? It’s for billions. If something is for everybody, free for all, then it’s easy to take for granted, like the air we breathe. Most days, it’s no big deal. So the death of Jesus on the cross can become not so interesting, not so applicable to you, most days. On the cross is the body and blood of Jesus Christ, given and shed for the for the world. Tonight in the Holy Supper for you to eat and to drink, is the body and blood of Jesus Christ given and shed for you. You need not feel like just another face in the innumerable crowd. The Lord says, “This is for you.”

And He can say such things honestly. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He has the powers and attributes of God, like forgiveness of sins and omniscience. He knows all, and everyone. He knows the hairs on your head and the cares of your heart. And He wants you to hear Him and believe Him when He says, “This is for you.” My cross is for you. My resurrection is for you. My life is for you.

Would that no one would disagree with Jesus Christ. But alas, some do. They will say, “nope, it’s not for me.” Some might not say such things with these exact words, but by their actions, they will may it clear that what Christ gives, is not for them. Even more will by their inaction say this, “no, it’s not for me.” Some say it out of arrogance. “For me? For the forgiveness of my sins? What are you talking about? There’s nothing wrong with me? I do it my way and no regrets.”

Others say “nope, it’s not for me” not out of arrogance but out of hopelessness and regret. Saying, maybe it’s for them, it’s not for me. Let not a guilty conscience say, “nope, it’s not for me, because of what I’ve said, what I’ve thought, what I’ve done.” In fact it is exactly for you the sinner that Jesus says, this is for you, for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus Christ has gone to great lengths so you would hear that and believe it.

Those great lengths started back there in Old Jerusalem in the upper room. When we hear this reading again this year of that Thursday evening when Jesus had His last supper, Most of us have some picture in our mind of what it must have been like, Da Vinci’s, or maybe a scene we have in mind from one of the movies made about Jesus’ last days. It is that nicely furnished upper room, with Jesus and 11 or 12 disciples in their various positions. It was behind closed doors. It was a closed communion. When we picture that scene we can figure that when Jesus said, “For you”, He meant at least those 12 guys.

But Jesus wanted it to go on from there. So He said “Do this, often, in remembrance of me.” Saying that, He was getting His apostles ready for the time when He would no longer be with them, but would be at the right hand of His Father in heaven. These Apostles would remember that and after His resurrection and ascension they would gather believers to hear what Jesus said and to eat and drink what Jesus promised to give. And when Jesus gave them the Holy Spirit, He said to them, “He who hears you, hears me.” Jesus wanted them and the church built up around them to “Do this, often, in remembrance of Me”.  So, by the way, this is why I asked you at the start, “Do you believe that the forgiveness I speak is not my forgiveness, but God’s?” Our Lord instituted such things so that future generations would have the forgiveness of their sins accompanied by this assurance, “This is for you.” And so it has gone, with the constant care of the Holy Spirit that His words remain, and come true over and over again. Eternal Salvation and the forgiveness of sins Jesus won on the cross back there long ago, far away. But given here and now for you. Amen.

Sermon for Lent Midweek 4

 “We preach Christ Crucified.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25  For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. . . . ²² For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

We preach Christ crucified. That word “Preach” has become a technical term and specifically churchly activity. But all Christians do it, when we talk about Christ crucified to others. When a mother sings “Jesus loves me” to her infant, she’s preaching Christ crucified. When a father prays with his small children and teaches them by word and action, he is preaching Christ crucified. When a Christian sees their neighbor down in the dumps and gives the consolation of heavenly forgiveness and hope of heavenly life, you’re preaching Christ crucified.

But mostly we use that word “preach” to mean what the whole church does together publicly, corporately, when the man appointed and ordained preaches, proclaims, announces the word of Jesus Christ.

Paul here in 1 Corinthians used the Greek word for preach, that was used especially of official announcements. Before there was mass media there were specially appointed messengers, or criers who would go into the center of town or at the entry gate of town, wherever people gathered and he would announce or proclaim important messages. Maybe there would be chariot races tomorrow afternoon. Maybe the king had issued an important decree. Maybe there was news to announce that the king’s armies were victorious in an epic battle.

We preach Christ crucified. And in this announcement there is good news of our King’s important decree—you are justified by His grace. There is good news of our King’s victory in an epic battle. As we sing in the hymn, he is the death of death our foe.

Christ crucified, some may think it sounds like Christ lost, God’s Son was beaten and defeated. But no, Christ crucified is the power of God. Some may think it sounds foolish. But no, “Christ crucified the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

You heard how those who passed by the crucified Christ mocked Him. They said, “If You are the Son of God, come down. But they had it all wrong. It’s just the opposite. Since He is the Son of God, He must stay on the cross. The true Savior, the true Son of God, the true Christ is the crucified Christ.

The opening hymn said it this way,

“Uplifted for the world to see

He hangs in strangest victory,

For in His body on the tree

He carries all our ills.

Romans 3 says that Christ crucified is how we who have sinned and fall short of the glory of God are redeemed and justified and given atonement for our sins. And it says this is for all who believe (vs. 22). So that we believe, we preach and we listen, to this announcement, this good news, this proclamation from on high:  Christ crucified. Amen.

Sermon for 4th Sunday in Lent

The Lord feeds His People

Exodus 16:4  ⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

This moment in the wilderness was a situation of testing for the people of God.

I’m told the Sinai Desert is like the surface of the moon or Mars. There’s no water, no vegetation, just rocks, lots of rocks. Little rocks and big rocks. It sounds like that’s what it was like back then, also. A nice place to visit, maybe, but you wouldn’t want to live there. Also, you wouldn’t want to spend 40 years walking around out there.

That place and climate made the lesson God was teaching very clear, a couple of million people camping out in a wilderness like this – within a week or two they will be completely helpless to find food or water, shelter or safety. They would have nowhere to turn for help and rescue. Nowhere but from heaven. That was their test.

The long story of the Old Testament teaches that testing is good, contrary to what we might expect. It’s good to just get a pass, an easy A, It’s nice when you can just move right along. But the truth is, it’s better for your character and for your faith, to be tested now and again.

It was good for the ancient people of Israel, that God fed them. It was also good for them to get hungry. The Lord let them get hungry that they would call out to Him and know that He is the Lord, that they would believe that He in His good mercy fed them.

Exodus 16:16-19 Moses said:  ¹⁶ This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer,^[a] according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” ¹⁷ And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. ¹⁸ But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. ¹⁹ And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.”

If you’re following along with the daily Bible readings we list in the monthly church newsletter, you’re just getting into this book of Exodus. When you read Exodus, admittedly, it can be tedious. There is so much detail, so many instructions that are exact, precise, and detailed. So think of it this way, the Lord with these meticulous instructions is training His people. He’s teaching them how to listen to His words. He said “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.”

Exodus 16:20 ²⁰ But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.

So they learned an unpleasant lesson. When the Lord speaks, it’s good to listen to Him. When He speaks there is misfortune and curses for those who will not listen to Him. There is promises and blessings for those who hear His word and keep it. Each of the commandments of God have these curses and blessings attached to them. Take the third commandment for example, Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Those who hear it and keep it are given the blessings that flow from worshipping God, hearing His word, receiving His sacrament, strengthening their faith, directing their lives for the week ahead. Those who do not listen to this commandment are left outside of the Lord’s means of grace and in danger of being left outside of His kingdom. Or take the 6^th Commandment, you shall not commit adultery. This world in which we live is hurting under the misfortune and curse of not hearing and obeying this commandment. When  marriage and the family is disrespected everything else about society and life suffer. But when Husbands love their wives and the home is filled with love and peace and joy, the family, the community, society is blessed.

Exodus 16:21 ²¹ Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat;

The Lord gave. The people ate and lived.

Many years later, Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. . . Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:54).

Jesus makes a connection between bread and eternal life. If we truly understand our daily bread, If we are truly thankful for every morsel, our Lord provides, we will come to understand and believe in His gift of life everlasting.

A good prayer before meals is this verse from the Psalms: 

Psalm 145:15-16 ¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.
¹⁶ You open your hand;
    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

 

You can picture the living things that are daily satisfied by the Lord’s hand, feeding them. The bird in the nest, for whom the Lord provides good parents who bring the worm and bug. The lamb or calf for whom the Lord provides the nursing ewe or cow. The hungry beggar, and the Lord provides for him or her a good neighbor.

Food and faith go together. We trust the Lord to give us our daily bread, and all things we need. We trust the Lord to give us the forgiveness of our sins, salvation and eternal life. Amen. 

Sermon for Lent Midweek 3

Christ crucified. “The Wisdom of God”

1 Corinthians 3:18-22

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Christ crucified seemed to be foolish. So we who cling to Christ crucified, would seem to be fools.

Pilate was amazed that Jesus would not defend Himself, but would go forward to crucifixion. Pilate’s wife wanted him to have nothing to do with Christ crucified. In the same way, many Greeks and Romans heard the good news of Christ crucified, brushed it off as foolishness. Every century since, there have many who were wise in this world, so wise that they considered Christ crucified foolishness. It is of them, that the verse says, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

So we hold dear what the world says is foolish. We believe that Christ crucified is the Wisdom of God. All these years later and we talk about it, we sing about it, we pray about it, we lean our faith on it. We pray that the Lord would imprint this image on our hearts, that the full inscription be, Jesus Crucified for me.

In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul shows the great contrast between human, worldly wisdom and God’s wisdom. “If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.”

The Lord does not care how smart you are in the wisdom of this age, this world. He calls you to have His wisdom.

Now of course, there is some stuff you gotta know to get by in life. When you learn your lessons, when you pass a test, earn a certificate, you get a measurable recognition. But the true wisdom that God seeks in you is not something you can show off or boast about. It must come from above. And it is placed into you.

One of the problems that Paul was dealing with in 1 Corinthians, was that the Corinthians were dividing themselves up into different groups. Some were bragging that they were taught by the Apostle Paul. Others said well, we are of Peter’s.  Others said Apollos, is ours. It was silly, and it was missing the big idea of what it means to be a Christian. Paul tells them, “So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, ²³ and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.”

The Corinthian’s problem was that they were thinking too little of themselves and what all they have because they are saved by Christ. They had forgiveness of their sins, eternal life,  the Holy Spirit and his many gifts, and they had the wisdom of heaven.

All things are yours. You have to think that way, when you lust after pleasures in this world, why? All things are yours.  When you feel the frustration of not getting your way, All things are yours. When you suffer a loss, and lose what you thought you could never live without, All things are yours, because you are Christ’s.

There is a fear of the unknown. You might have a fear of being foolish. People often have the bad dream in which they show up to work and suddenly can’t remember how to do their job.

When it comes to knowing the heavenly truth. You don’t need to fear or worry. Don’t ever allow feelings of inadequacy into your head when it comes to your faith and wisdom. All things are yours. And you are Christ’s.

Many Christians are tongue-tied when it comes to their faith. They feel unfit to speak about the things of Christ; they are afraid to say something wrong and sound like a fool.  

Take stock of the wisdom that is yours in Christ crucified.

Christ crucified is the Wisdom of God. When Christ was crucified for you, He gave you all things. In Christ you have it all and you lack nothing. You can say, The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. Amen.

Sermon for Lent Midweek 2

 Christ crucified. “The Power of God”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus said to Caiaphas, the High Priest, “I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” But Caiphas didn’t believe Him.  He turned to the rest of Jewish ruling council and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” (Matthew 26:64-66).

In the ears of his enemies, what Jesus says sounds like blasphemy and lies. They could not, would not believe that Christ is the Power of God.

We who are in Christ, believe what He says. We believe Christ crucified. “The Power of God.”

Colossians chapter 1 was written to teach us Christ. It shows us who He is and what He can do:

Who He is:  The image of the invisible God. God who is invisible to us mere mortals, becomes accessible to us in the person of Jesus Christ, the image of God. In Jesus, the Son of Man, the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.

And what He does:  Jesus Christ true God, yet also true man, was crucified for us and then became the firstborn from the dead. He is Head of the Church of all believers, and we believers are members of His body, and we go together, headfirst, through death and into eternal life.

Colossians chapter 1 lists things Christ can do. That’s what the word “power” means “can do.” As we meditate on Christ crucified. “The Power of God”, we consider what Christ can do.

Christ crucified has the power to deliver us.  Colossians 1: 13 ^“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son”.

That’s how come you can call Him Lord. He was powerful enough to defeat the domain of darkness. He has established His Kingdom by overcoming all enemies. He has delivered you and answered your prayer of “Thy Kingdom Come.”  Christ crucified is the power of God to deliver you from the enemies of Sin and Death and the Power of the devil and to transfer you to the Kingdom of Light and eternal life. Do you believe that? If so, then leave behind all thoughts and acts of darkness. Desire nothing but His Kingdom and His life.

Christ crucified is the Power of God to Redeem.  Colossians 1: 14 “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

When we meditate on Christ crucified, it’s a delight to recite, or sing the catechism’s words: “who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sin, from death and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver but with His holy precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death.”

Christ crucified is the Power of God to Redeem.  Do you believe that? Do you count on that? Such that no matter what scary, ugly situations you may have found yourself in, Christ is the Power of God, the Can Do of God, there is nothing, nowhere that Christ cannot redeem you out of.

That verse 14 said, “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Christ crucified is the Power of God to forgive sins. Do you believe that? If so then you ought not to be sulking in regret and a guilty conscience. When you hang onto old sins, when you have those recurring thoughts that you have done some things that you can never get over, when you listen to the accusations the devil would stir up against you, you’re thinking like even Jesus can’t forgive you.  Christ crucified Can Do. He is the Power of God to forgive sins.

Lastly, peace: Christ crucified is the Power of God to make peace. It takes someone powerful to make peace. He reconciles you and me to Himself. Forgiving our sins redeeming us out of the Domain of sin, death and the devil, He has reconciled us, brought us back into good standing, and made a peaceful relationship with us.  Do you believe that? Then have a high priority to live out that peace every day, in your heart and with your neighbor. Christ is the Power of God to make peace. With His power, you can do it. You can forget old grievances. You can overcome hard feelings. You can say, “I’m sorry.” And you can sincerely forgive those who have trespassed against you.

Caiphas and any other characters who have set their hearts to despise Jesus will not believe the power of Christ crucified. We believe this. We count on this. We are blessed by Christ crucified, the Power of God. Amen.